Saving children’s lives by developing new treatments to meet their needs

Paediatric HIV

Saving children’s lives by developing new treatments to meet their needs

We developed an easy-to-administer, strawberry-flavoured combination of four antiretroviral medicines to meet the needs of the youngest children, who are at the highest risk of dying without treatment. With regulatory review underway, our partnerships are working to ensure quick treatment roll-out for thousands of children in need.

The needs of children with HIV have long been neglected. While R&D efforts have succeeded in developing life-saving diagnosis and treatment innovations for adults, innovation for children lags far behind.

Until recently, the only treatments available for babies and kids were bitter-tasting, difficult to dose, and required refrigeration – making them unsuitable for children and their caregivers. Thankfully, new paediatric formulations are finally becoming available after decades of poor options. Our work is a key part of this revolution in paediatric HIV diagnosis and treatment.

0 %

of children with HIV will die before their second birthday without treatment

0 million

children are living with HIV

0 %

children receive lifesaving treatment

‘The initial treatment was difficult to administer because of their bitter taste. Many times, Emmanuel would spit the medication instead of swallowing.’

Pamela Akoth, stepmother of Emmanuel, living with HIV and treated at the Lea Toto Kariobangi site in Nairobi, Kenya.

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What we have achieved

Our research is helping countries replace older, difficult–to–use, and sometimes ineffective formulations and scale up new, optimum treatments for young children.

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Treatment Delivered

Super-booster therapy

New hope for children co-infected with HIV and TB. Drugs used to treat tuberculosis can interfere with HIV treatment, reducing its effectiveness. A successful study with our South African partners paved the way for better treatment for children living with both diseases.

What we are doing for children living with HIV

In order to help end the neglect of babies and young children with HIV, we have developed an easy-to-administer, strawberry-flavoured ‘4-in-1’ treatment called Quadrimune, together with the Indian company Cipla. But our engagement goes well beyond drug development alone. Through a series of partnerships, we are working to ensure improved treatments for kids are rolled out where they are needed most.

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Registration & access

2-in-1 LPV/r pellets and ABC/3TC or AZT/3TC

One of the largest paediatric HIV cohorts in the world. Our implementation study with over 1,000 children in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania was designed to help improve uptake of newer treatments for kids.

Clinical trials

4-in-1 (ABC/3TC/LPV/r)

A strawberry-flavoured, ‘4-in-1’ treatment for children. Quadrimune meets the treatment needs of the youngest children living with HIV. The combination of four antiretrovirals in easy-to-administer, heat-stable, strawberry-flavoured granules is now under US FDA review.